From October 18 to 20, at the Christus House of the Capuchin Friars Minor in El Pardo (Madrid), the X National Meeting of the Augustinian-Recollect Secular Fraternity in Spain took place under the motto “Missionaries of the Kingdom”, with almost seventy lay people and religious who represented the twelve Fraternities present in the country.
Every three years the National Council in Spain of the Augustinian-Recollect Secular Fraternity organizes its national meeting, to which the twelve Fraternities present in the country are called to participate: Saint Rita of Marcilla (Navarra); Saint Ezequiel Moreno of Monteagudo (Navarra); Divine Teacher of Valladolid; in Madrid there are Saint Monica, Saint Florentina and Saint Rita; Our Lady of Good Sight of Getafe; Incarnation of the Lord of Alhaurín El Grande (Málaga); Our Lady of Good Counsel of Monachil (Granada); Saint Thomas of Vilanova of the town of Granada; Our Lady of The Victory of Motril (Granada) and Our Lady of the Remedies of Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz).
The motto of this tenth meeting, “Missionaries of the Kingdom”, has taken into account the different central themes of pastoral animation proposed for the Augustinian Recollect Family during the next three years, focused on synodality and mission.
The objective of each national meeting is to exchange experiences, have moments of formation and debate, celebrate the liturgy and faith and create bonds of brotherhood between the various fraternities. In addition, it is an elective meeting, so the appointment of a new national Council of Secular Fraternities was voted on.
In the context of this 10th Meeting there was an important celebratory component, coinciding with some anniversaries of the Secular Fraternity: the 50th anniversary of the Fraternity of Marcilla; the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Rule of Life and the Statutes of the Secular Augustinian Recollects; and the 10th anniversary of the Pilgrims Formation Itinerary.
And in union with the entire Augustinian-Recollect Family, the 1st Centenary of the Shangqiu mission in China was also remembered; and the 125 years of stay in Venezuela and Brazil and the return of the Order to Granada and Motril.
There were a total of 62 lay brothers and sisters present at this House of Spirituality in El Pardo, where the Death Christ known by the name of the town is venerated. They were accompanied by the general assistant of the Fraternities, Fabián Martín; the assistant for the Fraternities of Spain, Germán Antonio Antón; and various local assistants as well as other religious committed to the Fraternity.
Days of prayer, formation and debate
After being received and knowing their accommodations, before the dinner on Friday 18th there was a first meeting of motivation and organization of schedules, functions and tasks. After the dinner a vigil of Eucharistic prayer was prepared where a special prayer was made for the fruits of the X Meeting, for those present and absent, and thanks were given to God for allowing us to meet again.
During the three days there were various talks and round tables: “Mission of Shangqiu (China)”, by the Augustinian Recollect Missionaries; “Why and for what to be missionaries of the Kingdom”, by Virginia Sánchez (Santa Rita, Madrid); “Local Fraternities and mission”, by the Fraternity of Marcilla, faithful collaborator of the Recollect missions; and “Mission, commitment and help to the disadvantaged”, by Manuel González (Monachil).
There was also a presentation by the Augustinian-Recoleta International Solidarity Network, ARCORES. Each of the talks, which lasted approximately 45 minutes, was followed by another 45 minutes of group debate.
The two councillors offered a report on the situation of the Fraternities of the Provinces they represented, Saint Nicholas of Tolentine (Miguel Porras) and Saint Thomas of Vilanova (Paco Ramírez) based on the data collected for this purpose in the weeks prior to the meeting.
At 6:00 p.m. the Eucharist was celebrated with a special remembrance of Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki, patron of the Augustinian Recollect Secular Fraternity, on the eve of her feast day. It was presided over by Carlos González, provincial prior of the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine.
Sunday 20th began with the liturgy of the Hours proper to the feast of Saint Magdalene and a joyful mutual congratulations on the day of the patron saint. Once in the room, the national president gave her report on the three-year period, after which there was a space for debate.
Also on this day, eight Chinese sisters were welcomed to the Assembly. That same afternoon they would begin their trial period in the first Augustinian-Recollect Secular Fraternity in Chinese, based in the Parish of Saint Rita in Madrid. They presented a beautiful dance of praise to the Lord that pleased and moved everyone.
On Sunday, the elections of the new National Council of Secular Fraternities of Spain for the period 2024-2027 were held. Maricela Valles (Getafe) was re-elected as national president; Miguel Porras (Santa Rita, Madrid) was also re-elected, as councilor for the Province of Saint Nicholas; and Arancha Toro de Federico (Granada) was elected as councilor for the Province of Saint Thomas of Vilanova.
After the farewell meal, the members of the Fraternities of Andalusia began their journey back to their homes, while the others joined the closing ceremony of the First Centenary of the Mission in China in the Parish of Saint Rita in Madrid, thus also providing company to the eight Chinese sisters who were admitted to the trial year at that ceremony.
